Tbileasy win for Tottenham

23/08/2013

Getty Images

Gareth who? Tottenham indicated that there is life after Bale with a brilliant performance in Georgia, blowing away Dinamo Tbilisi 5-0 in their Europa League qualifier. Andros Townsend's performance suggested that Tottenham may have unearthed another brilliantly direct winger.

Bale's transfer to Real Madrid is nearing completion, with Tottemham apparently ready to be persuaded that a world record £86 million is a reasonable transfer fee for the Welsh forward. Manager Andre Villas-Boas has been professional throughout, concentrating on the players he has available.

Townsend was a revelation. He was loaned to QPR last season and impressed, but in the summer was given a four-month ban (three of them suspended) for betting irregularities. Keeping faith in the player, Villas-Boas gave him a chance in the first team and he opened the scoring in Tbilisi with a 50-yard breakaway and fierce shot that were reminiscent of Bale at his best. He also supplied the assists for two more Spurs goals.

"Andros has been working well in training, so we felt it was time to give him an opportunity and he did very well," Villas-Boas said. "If we have the type of performance we had today we can always count on him. For all the young players we are bringing through, the competition is extremely difficult and, in my opinion, when you overcome that type of opposition you can only become a top player. He is doing it the right way. He seems very focused after last year's experience."

New Spanish signing Roberto Soldado scored twice, Brazilian Paulinho and Danny Rose adding the other goals to ensure Tottenham's progress to the group stage is a formality. It also reminded fans that Tottenham are not a one-player team and can prosper without Bale. The manager just has to figure out how to spend that £86 million.